Business Profile

Pre-Paid Phone Cards

TracFone Wireless, Inc.

Headquarters

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Complaints

This profile includes complaints for TracFone Wireless, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Customer Complaints Summary

3,482 total complaints in the last 3 years.
814 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

Initial Complaint
Date:07/31/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I recently returned a defective phone to TracFone and received a replacement. I am trying to activate the replacement phone with my old number since I have paid for the minutes and data associated with it plus a recently purchase minute and data plan for $24.38. In trying to activate, TracFone says they have to validate the account by sending a code to the phone which I no longer have. This has been an infuriating experience that I cannot get a resolution to. If I cannot use my old number for this replacement. I cannot validate using something I do not have in my possession.
Business Response
Date: 08/14/2024
Dear *****************************:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated August 1, 2024, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you wanted to transfer your old phone number to the replacement for the defective phone that you returned back to us. However, you were asked to validate the account by providing the code sent to the old phone number, which is on the phone you already returned.

Please note that TracFone Wireless customer account authentication policy operates under strict security standards to protect the integrity of its customers'information. Any changes to an account must be authenticated.

In our review of your account, we found out that a ticket to replace your old phone with phone number ending in 4762 was created on 6/8/2024, and a replacement phone with IMEI or Serial Number ending in 6629 was delivered on 7/26/2024. Following the TracFone Wireless customer account authentication, we will need you to authenticate the account before we proceed with transferring the phone number to the replacement phone. In addition, account authentication has options to validate the account using security information.

We received your call on August 7, 2024, and attempted to transfer the phone number to the replacement phone; however, you failed to validate the account,due to limited security information of your account. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. With this, we have submitted an escalation to transfer the phone number to your replacement phone. We spoke with you again on August 8, 2024, via phone number ************, and we were able to transfer the phone number to the replacement phone, with reference ticket # **********. However, we could not confirm if the phone is working since your wife has it, thus, you requested to be called back.

We attempted to call you back via same contact number and email *************** on August 12 and 13, 2024, to confirm if the phone is working; however, we failed to reach you. We received your email on August 13, 2024, saying the phone does show the correct number now; however, you were still not able to get in touch with your wife who has the phone, to verify if it is working. It also mentioned that you will try to check it the following day.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number **********.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive *********************
Customer Answer
Date: 08/15/2024
After many phone calls, chats, and emails, I was finally able to communicate with someone at TracFone who was able to comprehend my problem, that is to work beyond the ridiculous notion of requiring me to validate my account using a phone that was no longer in my possession! After many tries by the people, we finally were able to satisfy their security concerns and get the phone number I had had attached to the replacement phone. However it took a while to get the phone working. Looking at my TracFone Account, the phone is showing inactive there although the phone is working. An additional concern as I have tried to communicate with TracFone is that I purchased a plan for $24 +/- on July 3rd in an effort to keep the returned phone number active. TracFone deleted that number evidently and I guess I have lost those minutes and data, I don't know. In the meantime, I purchased another plan for $29.94 on August 1st in trying to get an active phone for my wife. She has disabilities and it is very important for her to be able to get in touch with me when she is out. I Don't know if I have lost that as well.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/15/2024

Complaint: 22072963

After many phone calls, chats, and emails, I was finally able to communicate with someone at TracFone who was able to comprehend my problem, that is to work beyond the ridiculous notion of requiring me to validate my account using a phone that was no longer in my possession! After many tries by the people, we finally were able to satisfy their security concerns and get the phone number I had had attached to the replacement phone. However it took a while to get the phone working. Looking at my TracFone Account, the phone is showing inactive there although the phone is working. An additional concern as I have tried to communicate with TracFone is that I purchased a plan for $24 +/- on July 3rd in an effort to keep the returned phone number active. TracFone deleted that number evidently and I guess I have lost those minutes and data, I don't know. In the meantime, I purchased another plan for $29.94 on August 1st in trying to get an active phone for my wife. She has disabilities and it is very important for her to be able to get in touch with me when she is out. I Don't know if I have lost that as well.

Sincerely,

*****************************
Business Response
Date: 08/21/2024
Dear *****************************:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated August 15, 2024, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that after many attempts of transferring your number, you are finally able to complete the transaction though it took a while for the service to work. You are concerned about the service you added on the 3rd of July to keep your number active but said that it was deleted by TracFone, so you had to purchase another plan on 8/1/2024 trying to get an active phone for your wife.You are not sure if this airtime was lost.

Upon review, the account we found is well provisioned and active in our system. We also have received an email response from you last 8/14/2024 saying that the phone is already working. We have determined that the plan you purchased on July was not credited to your new phone due to a systemic issue we encountered.We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you, and we have already updated your account, and added the $19.99 90-day plan that you purchased to your new phone on 8/21/2024, with reference service ticket **********. In addition,we have confirmed that the $25 service plan you purchased for the new phone was added properly to the account.

We attempted to contact you on August 19, 2024, via phone number ************ and email **************** to discuss the matter with your complaint; however, we were unable to reach you and we are still waiting for your reply to our emails.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1303783893.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive *********************
Initial Complaint
Date:07/31/2024
Type:Product Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have got the Phone No #************ from Tracfone with ******* phone. ******* device which is from ********************** got defective and did not work. I sent the defective mobile phone and it was received by Tracfone on 7/1/2024. It has been almost 1 month now and I have not received the replacement device still. I have called several times Customer support team and they are not able to help except updating the ticket status. Every agent is repeatedly saying that they can not do except updating their tickets. I have not received the replacement phone for last 1 month. (Ref Tickets : ********** & **********) . Please help to provide the replacement device. Thank you.
Business Response
Date: 08/13/2024
Dear ***************************:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated July 31, 2024 regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you returned a defective device but has not received a replacement phone.

We have reviewed your case and found that a Warranty Replacement ticket ********** was created on 6/23/2024, due to device Wi-Fi and Bluetooth feature is inoperable. As per *** returned tracking number 1Z6980XX9071151889,the defective device was delivered on 7/01/2024. However, the phone model is not available in the inventory. We manage to ship out the replacement phone on 7/31/2024, via *** with tracking number 1Z7X28F00255807666, and device was delivered on 8/02/2024. The phone was activated the same day and put back your lost service days and plan. Reference numbers ********** and 1303442316.

We attempted to contact you multiple times via phone number ************ and e-mail **************************** on 8/2/2024, 8/3/2024,8/6/2024, 8/8/2024 and 8/13/2024, but we have not been able to reach you and have not received any e-mail response. However, the record shows that you called back on 8/13/2024, to report that the service is not working, which one of our agents was able to resolve and even processed the unlocking of your device.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1302770855.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department

Customer Answer
Date: 08/14/2024

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I have received the replacement device and the service is restored in the new phone. Thank you so much for your help.

Sincerely,

***************************
Initial Complaint
Date:07/31/2024
Type:Product Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a Tracphone for my brother based on bad information from their sales department. They told me that the user interface for the new phone was just like Consumer Cellular.When I received the phone it was the exact phone my brother already had. I called to return it and requested a prepaid shipping label based on the incorrect original information given to me by the sales department. After numerous phone calls, I got the label, returned the unused phone (see return tracking number below), and have still not gotten my refund. Their customer service department claimed that they refunded the money, but after my insistence on a conference call with my credit card company, they acknowledged that they still owed me a refund and that they would take care of it in ***** hours. That was on July 23, 2024. My ticket number with Tracfone for this incident is **********.I am coming to you because I can't deal with this company anymore. They lie, hang up, put you on endless holds and then hang up, they won't escalate the problems to a supervisor - it is really bad. They should be held accountable. I can only imagine how many customers have just given up and let them go with their bad business behavior.See this link of all the unfortunate consumers:************************************************************************************************* would be happy to answer any other questions and work with you on this issue. I have all the evidence to prove that I paid for the phone and returned the phone.The original order number is ********* The phone number is ************.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/07/2024
A followup to my complaint ##********
A TracFone representative called me today at 12:08 from phone number ************** and I was getting my haircut and asked them to call me back around 3 pm. They wouldn't be understanding about me not being available and said they needed to ask me questions and started to ask me when was the last time I used the phone. I never used the phone. I opened it upon arrival, powered it up and quickly realized that the user interface was not similar to a Consumer Cellular Jitterbug phone, which is what the sales department initially said it was. I immediately packed up the phone and returned it.
This is the kind of distract and delay technique used by this company. They never called me back today. I returned the phone to them, they acknoweldge that it was delivered to them via *** and all I want is the refund for the unused phone that is in their possession.
They are stealing my money and they must be doing this same thing to many other people. Please make this right. Thank you!

Customer Answer
Date: 08/08/2024
To add to my complaint 22071313
A representative called again today at 1:26 from phone number *************, but had no information and asked me what my last ticket number was (**********) from 7/23/24, when I was told my refund would be issued in 24 to 48 hours. He told me after much researching on his part and my waiting on the phone that my ticket had been closed. He went on to say that I would get a reduced refund because now we were in a later date and the refund would be reduced.
I told him that I did everything correctly, and have all the facts to prove it. Please just return my money. Tracfone received the unused phone on 7/23/24 and signed for the receipt via *** shipping. The shipping tracking number is ***************** to *******************************************
I also told him I filed this case with BBB and will not stop to expose this company's bad customer service. It is very upsetting to have to spend so much time going around in circles because there is no one in charge. I had to hang up on him because he kept asking me to hold while he read my previous tickets, etc. Why do they call and bother customers if they have no previous information regarding my case and then make blanket statements about how they will not refund me. It is atrocius. Very upsetting. Please Please please try and stop this poor customer service.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/13/2024
On Friday, August 9, 2024, TracFone called me again and verified the last 4 digits of my credit card used to purchase the phone. I was told that I would get the refund "soon." So far I have not gotten it, but wanted to add this info to my case ID ********.

Customer Answer
Date: 08/19/2024
Regarding my complaint I would like to let you know that TracFone finally sent me my refund on August 17, 2024. I truly believe that I only got this refund because of the involvement from the Better Business Bureau. Before I contacted you, I couldn't get anywhere with the *************************** of **********************.
Your good name really did work and I thank you for helping me.
***********************
Initial Complaint
Date:07/30/2024
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
see attachment
Click here to Get the File - use the Password: 4F4D45F1
************************************************************************
Business Response
Date: 08/02/2024
Dear *********************************,
We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated 07/30/2024, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.
Your complaint states he bought a phone from Home Shopping Network and received it on 7/14/24. Tracfone attempted to activate it for 4 days and informed him that it was defective. HSN sent him another one and it could not be activated either due to coverage; therefore, he would like to get the device unlocked.
Per Our Terms and Conditions For customers with phones capable of remote unlocking: Tracfone will automatically unlock phones capable of remote unlocking when eligible. For all phones Activated with Tracfone prior to November 23, 2021, the phone will be remotely unlocked upon request after twelve (12) months of active Tracfone Service. For phones capable of remote unlocking Activated with Tracfone Service on the ******* network on or after November 23, 2021, the phone will be automatically remotely unlocked sixty (60) days from Activation. If the phone was activated with Tracfone Service on any non-******* network on or after November 23, 2021, the phone will be remotely unlocked upon request after twelve (12) months of active Tracfone Service.
For customers with phones not capable of remote unlocking: Tracfone will provide an unlocking code to most customers who request unlocking of phones not capable of remote unlocking. For phones not capable of remote unlocking Activated with Tracfone prior to November 23, 2021, the phone must have been active on Tracfone Service for twelve (12) months. For phones not capable of remote unlocking Activated with Tracfone Service on the ******* network on or after November 23, 2021, the phone will be eligible for unlocking sixty (60) days from Activation.
We successfully spoke with you on 07/31/2024 and you mentioned that if his phone was not going to be unlocked at that time. You would continue with the complaint. We explained the unlocking policy and advised you to return the device to generate a refund due to the coverage issue, yet you choose not to return the phone as you rather not to pay for the return label.
If you still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN ****. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Est.
Please refer to email reference number **********.
Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter as a resolution was provided.
Thank you for choosing Tracfone Wireless.
Initial Complaint
Date:07/30/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I've been trying to unlock my number and port my phone away from Tracfone for 10 days now with no resolution. I started the process on July 20th. I called the porting department on the 23rd, where they said it would take "3 business days" which I was told somehow meant it would be unlocked by the following Tuesday, the 30th. I called on Thursday to follow up with the request and see if it could be expedited; I was informed it would be unlocked the next day, Friday, by end of day. I called Friday afternoon and was informed it would be unlocked by Monday instead; when I asked further I was told it would actually be done again by end of day Friday. So that week I called TracFone 3 separate times and was told pretty much different days all three times. I had to travel over the weekend and really needed my phone but went without because it failed to be unlocked on that Friday. I patiently waited all of Monday to see if it would unlock at all. It did not. I called them today, Tuesday morning, the 30th, and was told by the same CSR that I had talked to on Thursday that my request "had not been submitted" and would now take another "***** business hours" to complete. I found this incredibly frustrating since I had called them 3 previous times this past week. How could my request possibly have not been submitted when they were checking on the status of it? Did they maliciously not submit my request? Why are they allowed to do this? Having a working phone is a necessity for my job and personal life and this has been more than an incredible inconvenience and problem for me.
Business Response
Date: 08/12/2024
Dear *********************:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated July 30, 2024, regarding BBB case #******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you have been trying to unlock your phone and port out your phone number for over 10 days, you were contacted and told several different times, when your phone would be unlocked,only to be told on 07/30/2024 that your request was not submitted and you needed to wait another ***** business hours.

In our review, our records indicate that the phone number ending in 2154 was ported out completely on July 20, 2024, with ticket reference number **********. On the other hand, your phone unlocking request was only submitted on July 23, 2024,and you were informed to wait for 3 business days to complete the process.Unfortunately, on July 30, 2024, the phone remains locked. Thus, an escalation was submitted.

We apologize for the inconvenience we have caused unlocking your phone. We were able to communicate with you via email and you have mentioned that your phone is still not unlocked.

On August 2, 2024, we got a response from the escalation and were informed that your device has been unlocked and you just need to run a software update on your phone to complete the process. However, your phone shows no pending software update. Thus, a follow-up escalation was submitted, and we were advised to wait ***** hours to further review the request.

We spoke with you on August 7, 2024, by phone number ************ and you confirmed that the phone was finally unlocked on August 6, 2024. Due to the delay, you were asking for monetary compensation. However, compensations can only be granted for issues with service interruptions, and only replacement of service will be added to the affected account.
If you still require assistance, you can contact an agent at ************************; hours of operation are from Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1302619620.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you.

Sincerely,


Executive *********************

Customer Answer
Date: 08/12/2024

Complaint: 22064714

I am rejecting this response because:

I find the level of service I received from Tracfone to be grossly derelict. I was repeatedly lied to by various CSRs. I was told that my phone would be unlocked on at least five different dates and it was not. I was told I could not speak to any supervisors or managers or that the current CSRs I was talking to didn't have even the possibility of forwarding me to their supervisor. I was told that there is no internal complaint department at Tracfone. I was not even given the courtesy to be informed when my phone WAS unlocked; I just randomly checked and noticed that it had been. I was told during the second week that my request "had not been submitted" which was greatly maddening since I had talked to CSRs on three occasions during the first week.

I spent countless hours on the phone and online dealing with this issue. It greatly interrupted my travel that occurred while I was dealing with this issue. I needed my phone to travel and contact family/work associates and was more than inconvenienced because of Tracfone's incompetency in dealing with this.

The offer to transfer my remaining service time (which I believe is about two months) to another Tracfone device is insufficient and not enough to make this issue right. I am simply NOT satisfied in any way with my experience with Tracfone and its representatives. I am NOT satisfied with this level of service and believe the average person would not be as well.

Sincerely,

*********************
Business Response
Date: 08/21/2024
Dear *********************;

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated August 14, 2024, regarding BBB case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you have been repeatedly lied by various agent that your phone was unlocked. You were not informed that the phone was unlocked. You were offered to transfer your remaining service time to another TracFone device, is not enough to make this issue right. You are simply not satisfied in any way with your experience with TracFone and its representatives.

We reviewed your TracFone account, it has been inactive after a successful port-out request on 7/20/2024, with Port-out Reference number **********. We have confirmed that the device is eligible for unlocking; however, the unlocking request was delayed due to a systemic error we encountered in the account. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you, and we have escalated the case to fix the unlocking issue. As of August 6, 2024, we have confirmed that the phone was completely unlocked.

We spoke with you on August 20, 2024, 01:57 PM via phone number ************, upon conversation, you have confirmed that the phone was already unlocked over a week, and your phone number was already active with another provider. Due to the delay, you were asking for monetary compensation. However, compensations can only be granted for issues with service interruptions, and only replacement of service can be added to the affected account.

If you still require assistance, you can contact an agent at ***********************; hours of operation are from Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1302619620.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive *********************
Initial Complaint
Date:07/30/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a family plan and the company was not able to help me active the plan and my phone is unusable after 5+ hours on the phone.
Business Response
Date: 08/01/2024
Dear *********************************:
We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated July 30, 2024, regarding BBB case #********.
Your complaint states that you purchased a family plan but were not able to activate the device after 5 hours on the phone.
We reviewed your Straight Talk Wireless account and found it was inactive in our system; it was required to activate with a phone number and add services.
Please note that, Straight Talk Wireless customer account authentication policy operates under strict security standards to protect the integrity of its customers' information. We cannot process any changes to your account unless you complete the validation protocol required.
We successfully spoke with you via phone at ************ on 07/31/2024 to authenticate the account it was required to start a process to transfer the phone number ending in 2480 from the previous company to Straight Talk. We initiated the transferring process and it was necessary to wait *************************************************************** the next day.
A new attempt was done to confirm process was completed and make sure everything was working correctly in your account.
If you still require assistance, you can contact an agent at ************************; hours of operation are from Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.
Please refer to Email Reference Number ******* or Ticket Number ********** Based upon the foregoing; we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk Wireless.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/01/2024

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

*********************************
Initial Complaint
Date:07/29/2024
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I contacted straight talk between the months of January-April about my poor service, awful customer service who messed up my account, and paying for a hotpot for two months that did not work. I never received compensation only half spoken apologies.
Business Response
Date: 08/09/2024
Dear **********************,

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated 07/30/2024, regarding BBB case number ********.

Your complaint states that you experienced poor service between January and April, the hotspot never worked for two months, and your account was messed up; despite all this, no compensation was given.

In reviewing, your Straight Talk account is active and well provisioned in the network. We found no records of service issue on the account, and regular usage of service is visibly noted for past 30 days of service. In addition, we found no activity suggesting that your account has been compromised. It would be best to speak with you to perform further troubleshooting in order to resolve this concern and make any changes if necessary.

Tracfone Wireless customer account authentication policy operates under strict security standards to protect the integrity of its customers' information. Any changes to an account must be authenticated.

We attempted to contact you via phone number ************ and email ******************** on 7/30/2024, 7/31/2024, 8/01/2024, 8/02/2024 and 08/05/2024; however, we were unable to speak with you and have not responded to our emails.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN ****. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1297443994.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this case unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department
Business Response
Date: 08/09/2024
Dear **********************,

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated 07/30/2024, regarding BBB case number ********.

Your complaint states that you experienced poor service between January and April, the hotspot never worked for two months, and your account was messed up; despite all this, no compensation was given.

In reviewing, your Straight Talk account is active and well provisioned in the network. We found no records of service issue on the account, and regular usage of service is visibly noted for past 30 days of service. In addition, we found no activity suggesting that your account has been compromised. It would be best to speak with you to perform further troubleshooting in order to resolve this concern and make any changes if necessary.

Tracfone Wireless customer account authentication policy operates under strict security standards to protect the integrity of its customers' information. Any changes to an account must be authenticated.

We attempted to contact you via phone number ************ and email ******************** on 7/30/2024, 7/31/2024, 8/01/2024, 8/02/2024 and 08/05/2024; however, we were unable to speak with you and have not responded to our emails.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN ****. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1297443994.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this case unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department
Customer Answer
Date: 08/14/2024

Complaint: 22062399

I am rejecting this response because: I called in serves times complaining about my hotspot not working. This UNPROFESSIONAL company doesnt keep track of their records. I STILLLLLLLL am unable to use the hotspot. NO WHERE on my account does it say I have used a hotspot so I know that is a lie. And 8/10 during the day I only have 1 bar and I have to use WIFI just to be able to use my phone. I am NOT doing any more troubleshooting. Ive done ALL the troubleshooting. *** turned the phone off and on done a hard reset. Erased all the networks and even called from another number to troubleshoot more. I AM NOT TROUBLE SHOOTING. I NEED TO SPEAK TO A REAL MANAGER ABOUT GETTING A REFUND FOR THE TERRIBLE SERVICE AND AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT IVE HAD TO DEAL WITH. I will continue to file complaints against this business until I receive my refund.
The picture clearly shows ONE bar of service required me to use WIFI for the phone to even work.
Sincerely,

Terraniqe ******
Business Response
Date: 08/22/2024
Dear **********************:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated August 14, 2024, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you are still experiencing a hotspot issue after multiple attempts at troubleshooting the phone. You have done all the troubleshooting steps already and do not want to do any further. You want to speak to a real manager to get a refund for the issues you have encountered.

We attempted to contact you multiple times on August 21, 2024, by phone number ************ at 01:43 PM, 3:30 PM, and at 6:12 PM EST, but to no avail. You responded to our email sent and you mentioned that you will not answer the phone because you do not want any further troubleshooting. You only want your refund.

We apologize for any inconvenience we have caused with the issue. We value customer feedback to support future improvements and to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. However, upon further review, we regret to inform you that we cannot process a refund for your account due to the usage recorded.

Our records show that your account is active and well provisioned on the system.There is also visible service usage on the account for call/text/data. However,upon checking further with your hotspot usage, we confirmed that indeed no record of usage was found. Please understand that we are trying our best to provide positive result for this issue, however, as per Straight Talk Wireless Terms and conditions, airtime has no cash value and is non-refundable especially when there was usage recorded from your account.

Nonetheless,we will do our best to fix your hotspot service for you to be able to use the service you have paid for. We checked the phone registered on your account and see that it is a BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) device. Thus, it is imperative to speak with you to further examine your phone and provide necessary actions to resolve the issue.

Furthermore, regarding your phone coverage concern, please note that within coverage areas, there may be significant limitations or interruptions in coverage that may result in dropped and blocked connections, slower data speeds, or no data connectivity, as well as call interference. Many factors can cause this, including, but not limited to, the customer's device, network changes, traffic volume, network prioritization, network outages, technical limitations, signal strength,terrain, proximity to buildings, foliage and other obstructions, weather, and other factors.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1303896975.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department

Customer Answer
Date: 08/24/2024

Complaint: 22062399

I am rejecting this response because:
No one has called pertaining my refund. The hour spot STILL doesnt work. Ive done troubleshooting for HOURS with serval different customer service **** including managers and Ive done troubleshooting via another phone. I AM NOT TROUBLESHOOTING ANYTHING ELSE. I SIMPLY WANT MY REFUND. PUT A MANGER ON THE PHONE AUTHORIZING MY REFUND and not the customer service representatives who barely speak English and just keep saying the same things. None of the troubleshooting works. Send my refund.
Sincerely,

Terraniqe ******
Initial Complaint
Date:07/29/2024
Type:Product Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
On or about the date ,month and year of June 12,2024,I was searching online to purchase(in full) ,a phone to use for my lifeline plan ; when I noticed that tracfone offered phones at a discount price .. so I ordered this phone and paid for it in full and was told that I could use my phone with any other carrier once I received it. Never on the advertisement during my ordering that it stated that I would be locked in with Tracfone wireless for 1 full year before I could use my with any other service provider: Not to mention that I have just been told that I do qualify for lifeline with their company but the phone that I paid for from them is not compatible to use for my lifeline service as a senior ! Now they want me to purchase another phone from them to use with them ! I think this is unfair that I was told that my phone was compatible by several Reps from the beginning and now I am being told that it is not compatible! Just want them to send me a compatible smartphone of the same quality (But Compatible) for my lifeline and that is not a Tracfone. If not, then refund my money ! Furthermore, I believe the advertisement online is falsely and deceptively advertised to get consumers to purchase locked phones ,so that the consumer is locked in on a 1 year contract with Tracfone unknowingly until after the purchase is made and then they explain their policy after the consumer finds that the phone is locked, with a 1 year agreement to but a plan from them and the phone is not compatible to lifeline ! This is a Scam ! I want an (unlocked Phone). I have called several times and tried to settle this dispute over the phone ,but I am told that I should purchase another phone or purchase another Plan from them ! I can not afford another Phone I only get a SSI check and Food stamps.
Business Response
Date: 08/12/2024
Dear *****************************:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated July 29, 2024, regarding BBB case # ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you have purchased a phone with Tracfone Wireless with the intention to use it with your lifeline plan from another service provider;however it has not been made possible since the phone is locked and you did not know about the Unlocking Policy from Tracfone Wireless.

TracFone Unlocking Policy states that for all cellphones activated with TracFone service on the ******* network on or after November 23, 2021, the cellphone will be remotely unlocked automatically, sixty (60) days after activation. For devices that is not capable of remote unlocking, notification of the phone's unlock eligibility will be sent via SMS along with a link to the website where the unlock process can be accessed.

Upon review of your TracFone account; it is active and provisioned in our system.Our records show that the device with IMEI or Serial Number ending in 1753 was activated on 6/17/2024 with the ******* Network, therefore, it is not yet eligible for unlocking, since 60-day requirement has not been met. As per TracFone Unlocking Policy, your device would be eligible for unlocking sixty (60) days after the activation.

In regards to your statement about the phone unlocking not being provided at the moment of the purchase; we apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced with Tracfone Wireless and we will do our best to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. As part of our commitment to assist our customers, our team undergoes continuous training.

We spoke with you on August 2, 2024, via phone number *************, regarding your phones unlocking request. We discussed the TracFone Unlocking Policy, and you agreed to wait for the required time for your phone to be eligible for unlocking.

If you still require assistance, you can contact an agent at ***********************; hours of operation are from Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1302557406.

Based upon the foregoing; we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Tracfone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive *********************
Customer Answer
Date: 08/14/2024

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

*****************************
Initial Complaint
Date:07/29/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
After 15 years I cancelled my TracFone service and requested my phone be deactivated/unlocked so I could use a different carrier. I have tried repeatedly and have been given excuses why it hasn't been done. This has left me with an expensive phone I can't use.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/08/2024
TracFone has called and emailed several times. They refuse to unlock my TracFone nor send me $300 for a new unlocked phone that I can use. I was told it was deactivated and unlocked when I cancelled the service. It was a lie as they did not unlock it at that time and now they refuse to. Unprofessional treatment of a former 15 year customer. Any thoughts I had of using ********************** again in the future are gone. I will also now discourage anyone else to use them.
Business Response
Date: 08/13/2024
Dear *****************************:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated July 29, 2024, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you wanted to have your phone unlocked.

We have reviewed your case and found your phones IMEI ending in 4370; record shows that you have 365 paid days and 832 active days. The device was initially activated on 8/05/2020 and was out of service since 11/02/2022. As per TracFone Wireless Unlocking Policy,in order for a phone to be unlocked for free; the cellphone must be in working condition and must have been active with TracFone Service for no fewer than twelve (12) months. You have met the 12 months of active service, but device is not currently working due to non-renewal of service. The only exemption to working condition is that the unlocking request must be made within 60 days after its deactivation. Therefore, to process the unlocking request a fee of $6 plus taxes is required. Please know that this fee is non-refundable. In addition, we cannot process a refund for your phone.

We attempted to contact you via phone number ************ and email ******************* on 7/31/2024, but with no success. However, we spoke with you on 8/05/2024 and 8/08/2024, the aforementioned was discussed and you are not willing to pay.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1302611729.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department

Customer Answer
Date: 08/14/2024
Per the numerous emails and phone calls from TracFone repeatedly going over the same thing; after I had all of my minutes transferred to my sister's TracFone in 2022 I requested my phone to be deactivated AND unlocked. I was told by a TracFone representative it had been. I did not know until later when I put a SIM card in from another carrier that it was not unlocked and I've been trying ever since to have them do so. Instead of going around in circles playing games and harassing me TracFone needs to act professional and unlock the phone that they told me they had already done. This is ridiculous.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/14/2024

Complaint: 22058699

Per the numerous emails and phone calls from TracFone repeatedly going over the same thing; after I had all of my minutes transferred to my sister's TracFone in 2022 I requested my phone to be deactivated AND unlocked. I was told by a TracFone representative it had been. I did not know until later when I put a SIM card in from another carrier that it was not unlocked and I've been trying ever since to have them do so. Instead of going around in circles playing games and harassing me TracFone needs to act professional and unlock the phone that they told me they had already done. This is ridiculous.

Sincerely,

*****************************
Customer Answer
Date: 08/29/2024
It is my understanding that the phone is now unlocked per the instructions I followed and the statement under About Phone. This case is now closed. When I go to put a SIM in with another carrier and find out it isn't I will open a new complaint at that time.
Initial Complaint
Date:07/28/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a ********** 5G phone from Tracfone in 2022. It did not work (in ******, **) with the (new at the time) ******* network they'd just become a part of so they sent me an **** SIM chip (a partnership I presume) to use the 4G network of that company. The phone was for emergencies only at the time so I did not set up voicemail.In June 2024, the phone was being used a bit more and was being called by my clinic, banker, etc so I wanted to get voicemail setup. After a dozen (no exaggeration) calls/chats with Tracfone support, I still have no voicemail.They claimed a couple times to be on the verge of getting it figured out then pulled an obvious twist to shut me up. Once (7/3/2024), a ticket was created on my insistence and promised to be resolved. The next day (7/5/2024 actually), the ticket had been closed out with nothing being done for me. On my callback on this, I was told I'd be getting a callback from 'the right person' to resolve my issue. 3 weeks went by without a callback.I called last on 7/26/2024. Spent 70 minutes, mostly on hold, getting the runaround that my voicemail setup would be completed. I finally hung up when they asked if I tried calling **** - that's their job since they sold me the **** On that call, I realized they must be trained to inconvenience callers until they hangup. First, I can't get a 'manager' without re-telling my problem to first-line support. Then each 'corporate manager' I talked to (3 in a row this time) couldn't understand my issue even with me spelling it out and each "did not have the tool to fix it' and transferred me to the next clueless manager.Someone there has to know how things being sold work. My phone REQUIRES a separate phone number to connect to voicemail and I want to know that number. Their support is abhorrent and deceptive to customers. I would like to see them investigated or somehow held responsible for wasting customer's hours of time and make support give some support!
Business Response
Date: 08/09/2024

Dear *****************************:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated July 28, 2024, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you purchased a ********** 5G phone from Tracfone in 2022. During that time, you did not set up voicemail due to the phone being only used for emergency purposes. However, this June 2024,you decided to use the phone and attempted to set up a voicemail but was unsuccessful. Tracfone representative was unable to resolve your issue after you contacted them multiple times.

We apologize for the inconvenience we have caused you with the issue. Upon checking your account, it shows that it is well provisioned; thus, you should be able to use your voicemail in your phone.

We spoke with you on August 5, 2024, via phone number ************ and you have mentioned that your voicemail is still not working. We attempted to reset your voicemail using the last seven (7) digits of your phone number; however, the issue remains unresolved. Further troubleshooting has been provided, but we were unable to complete the process since you only have limited time to work with us.

We spoke with you once again on August 6, 2024, but still unable to work with the issue due to some important tasks you have to do.

To provide further assistance, we made a follow up call on August 9, 2024, but we were no longer able to speak with you. We have sent you an email at ******************,but we have not heard from you yet.

If the issue remains unresolved, please try to reset your voicemail app by going to your settings. Ensure that your mobile data is ON or connect your phone to a WiFi to support your visual voicemail.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900 .Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1302665736.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Tracfone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department

Customer Answer
Date: 08/12/2024

Complaint: 22056390

I am rejecting this response because:
Tracfone got the general details correct, sans their complete lack of documentation on how to handle the situation, but only up to the last contact attempt. ******, the *** I was working with, did leave a message on my landline and email me. HOWEVER, I DID call back that same day and ask for him. Instead, another *** just went into the 'I can help' routine. During that call I found that ****** (I'd assume) already closed out the support ticket for this issue without cause or my permission. On finding this out, the new *** had said he was creating a new ticket; No such new ticket is showing up on my account.
Attached today are screenshots, again, of exactly what I keep telling Tracfone. Trying to access voicemail (hold down the '1' key) gets an error message to go into Voicemail Setup. Within that setup is a VOICEMAIL NUMBER entry <not set>, which is the issue. Very simple - I need an access phone number to connect with a voicemail box before any pin codes (like the last 7 digits of my phone number) can be used.
To reiterate, Tracfone sold me the phone with a ******* 5G SIM which simply did not work in my area (zip 54403). So they sent me an AT&T SIM that would connect to that network with 4G and told me to call back to go through the process to set up voicemail. SO THEY HAD A PROCESS AT THAT TIME! Now, 2 years on, they've lost that process, possibly on purpose to promote headmasters *******. They agree my phone is in good working order so they NEED to provide a solution, either work with AT&T to connect/reactivate my voicemail (AT&T is said to disable voicemail boxes not setup within 60 days of phone activation) or provide a *******-only solution (i.e. ******* SIM using Tracfone's own voicemail process) that works with cell networks in my area.
I should not have to contact AT&T myself but I intend to do so soon after I'm done with this complaint. I don't know how receptive *******/Tracfone's competitor will be to a non-customer calling for help but it cannot be any more futile than trying to get Tracfone to escalate my issue (i've ***eated demanded it be done to no avail) to someone with actual knowledge of the 4G vs 5G coverage areas and how that has impacted what my phone's voicemail requires.
FYI - If not previously stated by me or documented by Tracfone, my brother has an AT&T phone (i.e. a true AT&T customer) like mine (Moto 5G) and his 'Voicemail Number' is a unique long-distance number for *********, ** that connects him to his voicemail box. So I am well aware that this is what's required.

Sincerely,

*****************************
Business Response
Date: 08/28/2024
Dear *****************************:
We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated August 12, 2024, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.
Your follow up complaint states your support ticket for your issue was closed without cause or your permission. This is in line with your issue of being unable to access voicemail on your phone. You tried to access your voicemail but got an error message to go into Voicemail Setup. However, you were unable to complete the process as it requires access to a phone number.
We were able to speak with you on August 24, 2024, by phone number ************. We tried to update the voicemail provisioning on your account, however, the problem remains unresolved after turning your phone OFF/ON. Thus, we submitted an escalation to address the issue accordingly.
On August 26, 2024, we received a response from the escalation submitted with the voicemail pilot number **********. We spoke with you, and you have confirmed that it was successfully added to your account. However, when trying to access your voicemail, it still shows voicemail not set up. Thus, a follow up escalation was sent to reset and to provision your voicemail properly.
We apologize for any inconvenience we have caused with the issue. We value customer feedback to support future improvements and to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. We will keep this case open on our end and we commit to continue contacting you until the issue is resolved.
If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.
Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1302665736.
Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Tracfone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department

Customer Answer
Date: 08/30/2024

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
In fact, I tried my voicemail after waiting 24 hrs as Tracfone had suggested after **** had called me on the 28th. The first try failed. However, after restarting my phone and, this may or may not have been key, turning OFF WiFi Calling, I tried again and got the prompting to setup my voicemail box. I did this and should be good to receive messages from here on in. Once the ** box was setup, I reactivated WiFi Calling and was able to access ** as normal.

Sincerely,

*****************************

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